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Princeton's 5,100 undergraduate students benefit from studying in one
of the world's foremost research institutions, where faculty devote
much of their time and energy to teaching and advising undergraduates.
Chartered in 1746, Princeton is the fourth oldest college in the nation.
It is located in a cosmopolitan town (population 30,000) in central New
Jersey, with easy access by train to Philadelphia and New York City,
each about 55 miles away. Visitors often remark upon the natural and
architectural beauty of the 500-acre campus.
Princeton University is a community of learning that is enriched by the
wide variety of experiences and perspectives of its students, faculty
and staff. The University is committed to building a diverse campus
community to ensure that students explore their interests, discover new
academic and extracurricular pursuits, and learn from each other. More
than ever, Princeton is making its distinctive education accessible to
students from a broad range of cultural, ethnic and economic
backgrounds.
Academic Programs
Our curriculum encourages students to explore many disciplines and to
develop a deep understanding in one area of concentration. In the words
of Princeton's president, Shirley M. Tilghman, at the heart of a
Princeton education is the "idea that learning should be an act of
discovery."
Students apply to Princeton University, not to individual departments,
programs, or schools. Once enrolled, students may pursue either the
Bachelor of Arts (A.B.) or the Bachelor of Science in engineering
(B.S.E.) degree. Within these degree programs, students can choose from
among 34 departments
(computer science offers both A.B. and B.S.E. degrees) and 46
interdepartmental certificate programs. A.B. programs also are offered
in the Woodrow Wilson School of Public and International Affairs and the School of Architecture.
During their first two years at Princeton, students in the A.B. degree
program are encouraged to explore the curriculum. They are required to
complete 1 or 2 courses in each of seven general areas: epistemology and
cognition, ethical thought and moral values, historical analysis,
literature and the arts, quantitative reasoning, laboratory science and
technology, and social analysis. All A.B. students must demonstrate
proficiency in English composition through a one-semester writing
seminar. They also must become proficient in a foreign language.
Princeton offers courses in more than 18 foreign languages. In the
spring of their sophomore year, students choose a major to pursue in
their junior and senior years.
The B.S.E. degree is granted by the School of Engineering and Applied Science.
About 15-20 percent of each class is enrolled in the B.S.E. program. At
the end of their freshman year, engineers choose to concentrate in one
of the six engineering departments.
In their first two years, students in the engineering program fulfill
requirements in mathematics, physics, chemistry and computer science, as
well as taking a freshman writing seminar. Engineering at Princeton is
taught within the context of a liberal arts approach to education.
Engineering students are required to complete at least seven Princeton
courses in the humanities and social sciences. Because engineering
disciplines evolve and change, much of the teaching of engineering and
applied science at Princeton is directed toward mastering fundamental
principles: the why and not just the how to.
Whether they are in the A.B. degree program or the B.S.E. program,
during the junior and senior years all students conduct independent
research in their home department, culminating in the senior thesis, working
one-on-one with a faculty mentor. Some students conduct their research
in the library or the lab. Others travel to do field research or
undertake a creative project such as a novel or a series of paintings.
The freshman seminars and the preceptorial system
are two defining components of a Princeton education. Limited to 15
students and led by some of our most distinguished professors,
approximately 70 freshman seminars are offered yearly, each hosted in
one of our six residential colleges.
Most lecture courses at Princeton include a preceptorial, a small
discussion group that meets weekly to further explore the topics from a
course's lectures and readings. In preceptorials, students are
encouraged to voice their views and challenge each other to look at
issues and ideas from new perspectives.
The student to faculty ratio at Princeton is 6:1. From freshman seminars
to senior theses, faculty are deeply engaged in undergraduate teaching,
and they are readily available to students outside the classroom for
individual conferences and informal conversations.
Residential Campus
Princeton guarantees students on-campus housing for all four years and
98 percent of students live on campus. During their first two years, all
students live on campus in one of six residential colleges,
which offer a variety of academic, social, cultural and recreational
programs, as well as academic advising. The colleges are designed to
give students what President Tilghman calls "a residential experience
that takes the fullest possible advantage of the diversity and
educational opportunities at Princeton."
Juniors and seniors who wish to continue living in a residential
college may do so, or they may live in upperclass dormitories; they have
a number of dining options
that include eating clubs, cooperatives and independent dining.
Freshmen and sophomores typically take meals in dining halls in the
residential colleges.
Financial Aid
Committed to equality of opportunity, Princeton admits students without
regard to their financial circumstances. This policy applies to both
domestic and international applicants. We provide grants and campus jobs
to meet the full demonstrated financial need of all students offered
admission. Our groundbreaking no-loan financial aid program makes it possible for students to graduate from Princeton with little or no debt.
Sixty percent of Princeton undergraduates receive aid. Careful
consideration is given to each family's financial circumstances as
presented in Princeton's free online aid application.
The amounts parents are expected to contribute toward the cost of
attendance vary according to their resources. Families with lower
incomes are asked to make relatively small contributions, in some cases
zero, and receive the largest grants. Middle- and higher-income families
will pay more toward Princeton's costs; however, they still benefit
from grants based on their individual level of need. Students also meet a
portion of their college expenses through summer and term-time
earnings; no student is required to take a loan to pay Princeton's
costs. Individual need-based grants awarded by the University range from
$5,000 to more than $50,000. Princeton expects to award grants totaling
nearly $110 million to more than 3,100 undergraduates in 2011-12.
Members of Our Community
The University provides its students with academic, extracurricular and
other resources–in a residential community committed to diversity in its
student body, faculty and staff–that help them achieve at the highest
scholarly levels and prepare them for positions of leadership and lives
of service in many fields of human endeavor. Through the scholarship and
teaching of its faculty, and the many contributions to society of its
alumni, Princeton seeks to fulfill its informal motto: "Princeton in the
nation's service and in the service of all nations."
We invite you to meet some members of the Princeton community in the student, faculty and recent graduate profiles and to learn more about the many features of a Princeton education.
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